Letters to the editor, Nov. 8

Now that our president has chosen to blame mental illness instead of guns for the latest massacre, I am compelled to stick up for those of us he is demeaning.

I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1979 but finished college and graduate school and worked as a social worker and psychotherapist for 33 years. At no time have I owned or used a gun. Mental illness is enough of a struggle without being blamed for all the ills of the world, in particular those caused by gun violence.

Jody Reiss, San Francisco

The Wild West

I have lived in Spain for the past 50 years. Two years ago, I moved back to the United States, my homeland. The land of the free and the home of the brave.

This is not the country I grew up in. We now are no longer free to go to school, to church, to an outdoor concert, to a discotheque without the risk of getting shot. This week’s mass shooting in a church sets a new landmark: a “normal” citizen grabbed his rifle and started shooting at the shooter. Is this what is going to happen from now on? Armed citizens alone or in groups (posses?) will go after mass killers?

And what about the brave? Where are our brave senators and congressmen who will put the country before their own personal gain? After all, they are elected by the people for the people to serve our country and uphold the Constitution. America is in desperate need of a few good men, so step forward if you are one of them.

Julie Scolnik, Oakland

Gunman coverage

Regarding “Violence marked gunman’s past” (Page One, Nov. 7): Please stop giving front-page coverage to individuals who commit mass shootings. Such prominence gives unfair attention to heinous people. Focus instead on providing profiles of each of the victims of this senseless atrocity. Their families are grieving and need our support. Let information about a “troubled shooter’s past” be relegated to where it belongs — on the back pages.

Xavier Betancourt, San Francisco

Weapon makers

Here we go again. It is too soon to talk about gun violence and limiting weapons of war being sold to the civilian population. Shielded by the National Rifle Association, the 10 major gun manufacturers do not have to even comment when their product is used in terrorist acts against civilians by civilians.

The NRA allows the gun manufacturers to continue to sell weapons of high capacity and terrible power and never have to answer for the consequences. They enjoy a special liability waiver against lawsuits so that if their weapons are used as directed, the only way they can be brought to civil court is if the weapon malfunctions and blows up in a terrorist’s face while he is executing 26 churchgoers in Texas, 58 people in Las Vegas, 49 people in Orlando, or 20 children (ages 6 to 7) and 6 adults at Sandy Hook. The press should bypass the shiny object just this once.

Forget the NRA, and go to the source of the problem, the weapon manufacturers who are responsible for manufacturing these weapons of war and allowing them to be sold to these terrorists. Camp outside of their offices and homes. Demand answers, please, just this once.

Alfred Chircop, Sonoma

Irony of blame

Regarding “Firearms blamed: It’s wrong to cite mental illness, experts say” (Nov. 7): Isn’t it ironic that President Trump would throw the mental health fallacy into the mix on the Texas shootings at the very moment his own emotional stability and fitness for office are being openly and regularly challenged?

“This isn’t a guns situation. This is a mental health problem at the highest level,” he said. Indeed it is, Mr. President.

Tom Ruppel, Dixon

Series of errors

Thank you to the editors of The Chronicle for their thoughtful call to reduce firearm violence in America. The recent tragedy in Sutherland Springs, Texas, that claimed 26 lives resulted from a series of errors that allowed an individual who had served time in a military prison for domestic violence to acquire multiple firearms.

In 1999, the Institute of Medicine Report “To Err is Human” catalyzed profound change to the medical profession by raising societal awareness of the rates of medical error. Perhaps enlightening the firearm safety debate now with a deeper understanding of the legal, administrative and regulatory errors that result in firearms mistakenly falling into the hands of the wrong individuals will help to move this discussion forward?

John Maa, San Francisco

Don’t fault guns

Today’s front-page stories say that guns, not mental problems, are the cause of mass shootings. That’s similar to saying cars are the cause of accidents, not drivers.

Get rid of President Trump and the National Rifle Association and we’ll be safe again. Get rid of the perverse media and the NFL and we’ll be sane again.

Thomas Harbinson, San Francisco

NRA needs to act

National Rifle Association members, how much more is it going to take? How many more helpless souls need to be taken before you act to get these god forsaken assault weapons gone forever?

The blood on your hands cannot be washed away. Ban these weapons before it takes away one of your loved ones. I honestly don’t know how you sleep at night.